In retrospect, Penn State lost any chance to win today's TicketCity Bowl when starting quarterback Matt McGloin acted like an idiot -- and not the team leader that he should be -- in getting into a fight last month with teammate Curtis Drake. McGloin sustained a concussion and couldn't play today, and instead the Houston defense dared replacement QB Rob Bolden to pass.

As many fans have been saying the past year, Bolden cannot pass and apparently is getting ineffective coaching to become an effective passer. With his telegraphed passes and line-drive throws -- ever think about airing it out a little on the bombs, Rob? -- Bolden is worse than Tim Tebow.

Not respecting Penn State's passing game, Houston today loaded up on the run defense, and with that went any hope that the Nittany Lions would be able to match the Cougar attack.

And what a precision passing attack by Houston. QB Case Keenum was better than advertised with his decision-making, quick release, accuracy, mobility and ability to keep looking downfield for a target -- and move forward out of trouble -- when his passing pocket collapsed. Penn State's soft zone and bend-but-don't-break philosophy was carved up like Houston was doing a 7-on-7 offseason drill.

Today's game was similar to the January 2009 Rose Bowl, when Penn State's defensive ineptitude made a lot of money for USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, who became a first-round draft pick. Don't think Keenum will be a first-rounder but he no doubt moved up a lot on the lists of NFL scouts.

So, with Penn State's offense and defense neutered, its special teams played almost as poorly, with about 10 bad plays. It's one thing to not make plays on special teams, but it's quite another to make bad plays.

More observations and commentary on what was a very dissapointing day:

-- Today's performance cannot help Tom Bradley's chances. I still think he's the best candidate. (Did you catch where the agent of Bill O'Brien -- the supposed top choice -- said his client's dream job is to be an NFL head coach? If that is the case, why in the hell would Penn State hire a caretaker for this job?)

-- Bolden did not get much help from his receivers, as Derek Moye, in particular, disappeared and had a drop. Devon Smith had a drop on a bomb but again -- the catch would have been easier had Bolden aired out the pass a little rather than throwing those 40-yard darts. (Smith did have a great catch earlier in the game when he laid out to snare a bomb, and we did not see such effort from Moye on a bomb by Bolden late in the game.)

-- When analyzing Bolden's effort, consider that Houston's pass defense was ranked 70th in the nation. Even thought for a bit Lions would go with walk-on Shane McGregor at QB, it was that awful.

-- Bolden also got more pressure than expected from the Cougar defense.

-- Meanwhile, expected more pressure on Keenum, especially when you know the Cougars are throwing the ball 90 to 95 percent of the time. Keenum's quick release and Houston's fast-developing plays had a lot to do with that, but even when there was some semblance of pressure, Keenum escaped.

-- No sacks (except for one give-up sack by Keenum in the final minutes) and no turnovers created are no way to run a defense, folks.

-- Here's one that falls on the coaching. Down two scores early in the fourth quarter and you're still not running a no-huddle offense? Where's the urgency? And just maybe trying the no-huddle will help the offense.

-- Here's another one that falls on the coaching. Down two scores with 5 to 6 minutes left and with the ball, you are now running a no-huddle offense, but it is STILL TAKING 20 to 30 seconds to snap the freaking ball. Geezus, you were still in the game at that point, so pick it up. I mean, Houston was taking less time to snap the ball and the clock was its friend, not its enemy.

-- Lions missed Curtis Drake on the end-around play, which today was worth zero for Penn State with Smith running the play. As we have said twice before, never ever ever ever ever run the damn end-around to Smith. Drake, by the way, was selfish not to want to make the trip to play football with his teammates. Disappointing.

-- Always fun -- fun? -- to list the special teams bad plays by Penn State. Here they are, in order: block in the back penalty on a return, bad punt, failure to field a punt costing about 15 yards, delay of game penalty, bad punt, surrendering long kickoff return, block in the back penalty on a return, another block in the back penalty on a return, bad punt. Did I miss anything?

-- Will the next head coach please, please please hire a special teams coach?

-- Houston's receivers were faster than expected.

-- TV announcers made a big deal out of Ty Detmer's bowl record 576-yard passing performance against Penn State a couple decades ago in the Holiday Bowl. What they failed to say was that Penn State won that game against BYU.

-- Got so bad for Penn State's defense today that TV announcers described it as a "defensive stop" whenever Houston was held to a field goal attempt. A made field goal is not a stop.

-- Really thought Keenum would be worth at least one interception. I mean, all those damn passes and the Lions don't even sniff a pick.

Current Comments

You covered it all. The best defence is a good offense and without any passing, PSU had no offense.

Joe did Bolden a reallybig favor by not releasing him from his scholarship and providing him an education for contributing nothing.I was totally underwhelmed with Bolden's inability to perform after practicing and playing with this team for two years.

And yes,he pointed out every receiver he intended to throw to.

Posted By: Tweech | Jan 3, 2012 7:00:05 AM

Bill Kline, you might have to begin an outreach program for all the clowns who will not be able to face reality when the present players will be able to move out, recruits bag off and the sleaze comes out about all the hush ups.
Some of these blog entries, you probably should remove, they sound 'Sanduskyish'.
One blogger can't eat donuts because Chris Berman is saying the truth about Paterno.
ESPN has become more sympathetic to the cause and now refers to your outfit as the Nittany Lions.
As the next many painful years become unbearable, these same idiots will be cursing Paterno for not being the 'god' all them made him out to be for the last 61 years!
"Jerry had us all fooled".
Now you pay for the sins of the father.

Posted By: let the party begin | Jan 3, 2012 8:19:49 AM

Amazing how all the JoePa and PSU haters ramble on this blog. I would like to know when any one of them committ 62 years of their lives to anything. Joe has character and integrity and he will prevail when this goes thru the court system. He didn't cover up a thing....he reported it! And Bill, you're right, O'Brien is not the man. Joyner does not want to pay for the buyout contracts of more higher profile coaches.

Posted By: Palmetto Jack | Jan 3, 2012 10:16:38 AM

Palmetto Jack...you are exactly right...Joe did not cover up anything. Further proof of this is that Big Red said that no one on the staff discussed with him the Grand Jury investigation or what to say? If Joe was looking to cover anything up, he would have attempted to influence Red. Again--when are ESPN executives going to resign since they had the tape of Fine's wife suspecting her husband of sexually assaulting a ball boy--they had this tape since 2003. No--they should not have made a news story out of it but they are obligated to report it to the police since there was a potential crime. The Egotistical Sports Network is not being held accountable.

Posted By: psu87 | Jan 3, 2012 3:32:51 PM

"-- Bolden is worse than Tim Tebow."

C'mon, let's be fair. Bolden is worse than Tim Tebow's grandmother. (Might be a really nice kid, and don't mean a word of it personally ... but this might be the worst "blue-chip" quarterback recruit, ever.) Doubt that any coaching would have helped him at this level.

That said, Penn State's FOOTBALL problem is that it's been getting a little stale in the last few years, and it shows.

But there is a future. Any head coaching candidate with his own set of cajones isn't going to be intimidated by the challenges of taking this job. What now makes the Penn State job a tough sell isn't Sandusky -- whoever followed Joe was going to be put under the microscope in any event.

Thanks to the media -- and the amateurish, bumbling way that the trustees and rookie administration have handled the "crisis" -- PSU football now might - might - have a couple more tepid years. But give the new guy a couple of years and -- if he doesn't sell out on what is still one of the best academic athletic programs in the country -- the JoePa and PSU haters will get the payback they've got coming.

Posted By: John | Jan 3, 2012 7:08:10 PM

It may have been the 500+ yards of passing that your defense gave up that led to the loss.
Does Jay now move to the local high school as JV QB Coach since Dad is not around anymore?

Posted By: Commenter | Jan 4, 2012 12:14:25 PM

Wasn't this defense ranked #6 in the country?
I guess this conference and those MAC bottom feeders can make you look real good until playing the runner up team from Conference USA?

Posted By: smoke and mirrors | Jan 4, 2012 1:49:03 PM

And after the game Tom Bradley said he didn't want to stick his nose into the defensive scheme adjustments! He didn't think that was fair. If you want to be a head coach Tom...act like one.

Posted By: Eric | Jan 4, 2012 4:17:23 PM

1. Paterno is guilty. Why do people want to say he gave 62 years of his life to Penn State. Maybe he just hung around and wouldn't get out of the way. And buy the way, there are many powerful, selfish people that were philantropists - feeds the ego.

2. Penn State needs a new direction - if we want to compete on the field.

3. Jay is, I'm sure, a great guy, but he can't coach-up quarterbacks. Bolden looks worse today than the first time he took the field as a freshman. Jay will not coach at a major college program again I'm afraid.